Your Lie in April: Will of Fire
by eternal fire123
Summary: Kuroko no Basuke AU :3 The Seirin Basketball CLub did not begin with one's intention of playing basketball. It began with a lie that led to the story of a lifetime. Please read, review, and don't flame. Rating will go up when appropriate. (basically Your Lie in April with Kuroko no Basuke characters - Nijimura aka Kaori, Junpei aka Arima, and the rest will be shown)
1. Ch0: A Story that Began with a Lie

Me: Hello people! eternalfire123 is in da house!

Friend: Oh. So you haven't died yet.

Me: Hey! What's that supposed to mean?

Friend: Nothing nothing. It's just that you haven't written anything in so long that a lot of people are mad or think you have died or something like that.

Me: I haven't died yet. I still alive and kicking.

Friend: That doesn't explain why you are writing a new story and not updating an old one. Also, I thought Akashi was your favorite character from Kuroko no Basuke.

Me: Nope, Nijimura is my favorite because of how awesome he is in raising an entire generation of geniuses. I just wish he had more screen time. Now stop judging me! *runs to a corner to cry*

Friend: Ugh. Whatever. Hey Other Friend. Can you do the disclaimer?

Other Friend: Of course. eternalfire123 does own anything except the idea of making this story. Please read, review, and don't flame.

* * *

Chapter 0: A Story that Began with a Lie

After school in Seirin High…

"So we're cleaning up the club room?" asked Kagami.

Riko finishes tying up her hair, "Yup. Tomorrow, the school life supervisor is coming to the building and we haven't done a single clean up this year!"

"But shouldn't we be practicing for the next match against Kirisaki Daiichi," Kagami protested, clearly not wanting to do any cleaning up at all.

Sighing, Riko replies, "I told you, today's our break. And you're the one who needs it the most."

"Besides," Hyuga says, "We have a whole until the match so after we get proper rest we will start preparing."

"Hey! Before you rush," Riko interjects while placing a trash can with a fire near the clubroom entrance, "You gotta do what you gotta do."

The club members were taken aback by the fire.

"What are you planning to do with that!" Hyuga shouts and points.

"Hmmm? Can't you tell? I'm gonna burn all the useless garbage," Riko says with an innocent smile, "It's fine if it's just dirty, but if I see some sexy teacher stuff like last time…I think I'll want to give a Riko practice x5."

"EHHHHHHH!"

"Yikes, that's frightening."

"I know, but I think I was able to take care of the adult stuff…I think."

"What? You think?"

"Anyways," Hyuga interrupts, "Let's start the clean up!"

And opens the door to the club room.

Silence falls upon the group as they see just how messy and cluttered the room has become.

"If one enters with the mindset of cleaning, it's quite intimidating," comments Kiyoshi.

Riko walks in, "Come on. If you don't hurry the sun will set."

She opens a locker with the intent of cleaning it out only to be greeting with a sea of fungus. Silence once again before she slams the locker shut and shouts, "Go burn it!"

"We can't!" the members shout, holding her back.

A package drops down onto the floor. It is round and black and of unknown origin.

"What is this?" Riko asks, picking it up.

"An old rice ball?" Hyuga asks, "But how old-"

He is cut off by the small movement the old rice ball package gives. Riko immediately throws the rice ball into the fire.

Protests and shouts are heard from the members while Riko, with a demented look on her face, says "That's it. Burn everything that comes out. Everything…"

For the next hour, the first string Seirin club members clean up the area surrounding the lockers while Riko tosses a Christmas tree, some playing cards, a model plane, an action figure, and more into the fire much to the protest of many members.

Then it was onto the individual lockers.

Koga's locker was overflowing with boxers.

"Why in the world did you hoard so many boxers?"

Hyuga's locker had a diagram of a battle on it.

"It's the Battle of Nagashino!"

"Like we care!"

Kuroko's locker was clean and average.

"Wah! There's nothing to comment on it!"

And Kagami was trying to hide his tests.

"It's a test. What! Only 12 points…and it's English! Go give up on being a returnee!"

Finally, the cleaning seemed to be coming to an end.

Hyuga glanced over to Koga, who had been reading manga the entire time.

"Hey!" Hyuga shouted, getting Koga's attention, "Why are you still reading manga?"

Koga turns his face toward them with a star struck expression, "This is bad…I think I found a super awesome manga!"

"Huh?"

"Let me see."

"Wow, it really is awesome."

"Hey look, I found one of the volumes."

"I found another one."

"Me too."

"Uwoo. Maybe we have it all?"

After searching for the last novel of the manga series for a few minutes, nobody found anything.

"We've searched everywhere."

"No," Teppei said, "Not everywhere."

All heads turned toward the locker with the sea of fungus. Everybody was nervous and didn't want to touch anything in there even if one of the shapes looked like the last volume of the super awesome manga.

The senapi ordered the kohai to do an epic rock-paper-scissor match to determine who would get the book. In the final showdown between Kuroko and Kagami, Kuroko won hands down and Kagami was forced to get the book.

Unfortunately the book turned out to be an adult book to which Riko responded, "x5 practice :D"

Shouts of dismay could be heard as the sun set.

Finally the cleaning was down just after it turned dark. Everybody was ready to go home and rest for the day until Kagami noticed a picture on the floor. Picking up the picture, Kagami was surprised by its contents.

In the picture was Hyuga, Koga, Izuki, Mitobe, Teppei, Riko, Tsuchida, and an unknown male with black hair and grey eyes. Mitobe was standing in the left looking down at Koga who was doing a peace sign with Izuki smiling next to them. Riko was standing in the middle with her arms crossed. Hyuga was looking off to the side and scowling while Tsuchida was 3/4s in the picture on the right. Next to Riko, Teppei had his arm around the mysterious teen and both were smiling and laughing at each other and the camera.

"Hey coach," Kagami said, getting the attention of Riko and the other seniors, "Who's this guy in the photo. I've never seen him before."

Riko walked over and looked at the picture. A sad smile appears on her face, "I totally forgot about this picture."

Hyuga, Izuki, Mitobe, and Teppei walked over and say the picture. Sad and nostalgic smiles also appeared though Teppei seemed to be tearing up a little.

"Anyways," Riko said looking up, "This man in the photo is one of our dear friends. You should know him Kuroko."

"Huh, me?" Kuroko said pointing to himself.

Riko nodded and showed the photo to Kuroko who gasped in shock, "That's…"

Kagami and the other first years were confused until they were shocked by the following statement.

"That's right," Riko nodded, "This man is Nijimura Shuzo. One of the founders of the Seirin Basketball Club, the best friend and captain we could ask for, Teppei's lover, and…the ex-captain of the Generation of Miracles."

"EHHHHH!"

"Ex-captain of the Generation of Miracles?"

"I didn't know Kiyoshi senpai swung that way."

Kuroko looked at Riko, "What happened to him? Where is he now? What was he doing at Seirin in the first place?"

Riko and the other senpai looked uncomfortable.

"Look Kuroko," Izuki began, "We know you want to know where you're former captain is, but we would rather start from the beginning rather than the end if that is alright with you."

"Yeah and besides," Koga said, "We need to get home first and rest up."

"How about we tell you and the rest of the team about your captain and his history here tomorrow morning during practice," Riko suggested.

Kuroko nodded hesitantly in agreement before bidding good-bye to the other members. Kagami was a little stuck on what to do because he had never seen Kuroko like this before.

'That captain must really be something,' Kagami thought, 'to get this sort of reaction with his absence.'

One by one the members left, looking forward to a story of a lifetime in the morning while the senpai comforted each other over the loss of a friend so precious that he managed to change their lives in just one year.

The next morning…

All the first years sat on the floor of the gym looking up at their senpai with expectation clear in their eyes.

Riko sighed and rubbed her forehead a little before starting the tale, "Alright people. First off, Nijimura Shuzo was a dear friend of ours who was one of the main driving forces in making this club possibly. Without him, there would mostly likely be no Seirin Basketball Club. I would also like you to know that he is nothing like the Generation of Miracles, bar Kuroko, personality wise. In fact, Teppei and the other Uncrowned Kings have acknowledged him as a man worthy of the title and gave him the nickname Will of Fire."

Riko paused in order to observe the crowd, taking in the shocked and awed faces of the team.

"No interruptions are allowed as I tell the story. Now I will begin the tale of how the Seirin Basketball Club was founded. It began in the most unlikely way possible. It was not created because of a basketball freak or by myself or any other typical means. This club and tale began with

…a lie in April."

* * *

Me: And scene!

Friend: Very nice.

Me: Really?

Friend: Yeah. For once you typed something of decent continuity and in a good place during the manga.

Me: Thanks. It took me awhile to get all the characters set because the personalities and situations don't really match so I know that I'll have to tweak a lot of stuff.

Friend: Yeah yeah whatever. Just go update your other stories will ya?

Me: Mmm…I will, eventually.

Friend: Psh, eventually she says.

Other Friend: Please review and don't flame. Thank you.


	2. Ch1: Under the Sakura, A Meeting of Fate

Me: HI MINNA! I'm back with a new chapter that hopefully makes sense.

Friend: Zzzzzz….

Me: Wha-! Hey! *slaps Friend* Get up!

Friend: Wah! *falls out of bed* Oh, it's you.

Me: Yes….me….who do you think it was!?

Friend: Oh. I thought it was Other Friend cuz I totally expected you to take almost a year to update the story, not a week.

Me: Hmph. Well I'm turning over a new leaf.

Friend: Oh yeah? How so?

Me: For this story, I will be updating once every week. Then after I complete this story, I will pick one of my existing stories that I need rewrite and start updating once a week too.

Friend: So you're just gonna update one story till its complete before going onto the next?

Me: Yep.

Friend: Hmmm…good plan. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to sleep. Wake me up in a week.

Me: Why you little #%^&amp;$&amp;^ %&amp;#^%&amp;$ *&amp;^#^%$^ #!*!&amp; ^%!&amp;#^%#!

Other Friend: Now now eternalfire123. You go outside to take a breather while I start the disclaimer ok?

Me: Yeah, fine. *leaves while still cursing*

Other Friend: eternalfire123 does not own anything except the idea of the story. Please read, review, and don't flame.

* * *

Chapter 1: Under the Sakura, a Meeting of Fate

During the third year of middle school…

'Why? Why!' Hyuga thought as his exhausted body collapsed onto the court. His friend Izuki rushing over to help him up.

The basketball team Hyuga and Izuki were playing against was the rumored Generation of Miracles.

At first, everyone thought it was just a rumor that had no evidence or support to it. But at the start of the season for all middle school basketball teams, the Generation of Miracles was dominating every team in the nation. It wasn't just the sheer overwhelming power that the team had that made others eventually fear them.

No. It was the fact that they took joy in destroying each and every member of every other team completely.

These were not basketball geniuses, but monsters waiting to tear other people apart.

Hyuga had tried to prepare himself to be thrown into the wolves, but this…this match had completely destroyed his ability to play basketball forever. He felt that he could still feel the dark and oppressive aura surrounding those players whose human shape was only hiding their true monstrous selves.

After that day, Hyuga still had nightmares in his sleep. Whenever he went to pick up a basketball, a cold fear gripped his heart and he was no longer able to hold it. No matter how hard he tried, he could no longer hold a basketball for more than a few seconds.

A new fear gripped his heart, he could no longer play basketball if he could no longer hold the ball.

With that new resolution, Hyuga declared that he would never play basketball again against the wishes of his team. In order to solidify that resolve, he applied to a high school that had just opened, Seirin, that was sure to not have a basketball team in the early stages of its development.

When the time to go to high school came around, Hyuga gathered his resolve and prayed and prayed that basketball would never be mentioned at all during his high school years. Izuki would spend hours each day trying to get the spark back in his friend's eyes. Hyuga would only comment on how Izuki's eyes were shining instead.

**In Izuki's eyes, surely. The scenery appears all colorful. Unlike the scenery I'm seeing. Miwa said, "The moment I met him, my life changed. What I see and what I hear. What I feel…My whole scenery is painted in color." But me. I see it in monochrome. **

Unfortunately for him, a teen named Kiyoshi Teppei had to ruin that for him. Kiyoshi was probably the most infuriating person he had ever met. Trying to get a basketball team together and even dragging his friend, Izuki along for the ride.

Fortunately, Hyuga was able to avoid joining the team as there were already five members involved – Kiyoshi, Izuki, and three guys called Koga, Mitobe, and Tsuchida.

Unfortunately for him, Kiyoshi was still persistent in getting him to join. So persistent that he had to eventually relent to Kiyoshi's offer of meeting someone that could potentially change his mind.

Of course, Hyuga was skeptical about this person Kiyoshi wanted him to meet, but consented to it anyway because Izuki was the one who wanted to introduce the person to Kiyoshi because apparently it was a potential basketball club recruit.

'It's not like it will make any difference,' he had thought.

So there he was waiting near a clock at the park for the stupid giant, Izuki, and the mystery person. With each minute that ticked by, Hyuga began to grow more and more impatient that he was ready to just go home and go back to sleep.

However, he was interrupted out of his internal fuming by the sound of children's laughter in the basketball courts nearby.

'Might as well take a look,' he thought, 'It's not like I'm actually going to play.'

Walking past the blooming Sakura trees over to the courts in search of the source of laughter. He was then greeted with a sight that made his breath catch in his throat.

**Miwa said, "The moment I met him, my life changed. What I see and what I hear. What I feel…My whole scenery is painted in color." **

**The world is sparkling.**

There was a young tall teen with black hair that was parted to the left who had grey eyes and a lean structure. He was showing a group of kids how to play basketball and everyone looked like they were laughing and having a good time.

Feeling a smile creep on his face while watching the scene before him, Hyuga thought, 'It makes a nice picture.'

He took out his phone and took a picture of the scene. Unfortunately, the click his camera phone made was a little too loud. So it caught the attention of the teen who then turned his head to look Hyuga's way.

The teen stared at Hyuga for a few seconds tyring to process what was going on. Then his face adopted a "Hell hath no fury" look. Picking up the ball, the teen threw it at Hyuga's face, hitting it dead on.

"Hey," the teen shouted angrily, "What the heck are you doing!?"

Hyuga was dazed as the basketball slid off his face. Just as he began to get his bearing back, he was greeted by a round of punches that hit his face and body.

"What are you doing stalking innocent children!" the teen shouted.

"I'm sorry," Hyuga tried to shout out, "It was just a miraculous coincidence!"

"Miraculous coincidence my ass!" the teen shouted as he proceeded to give Hyuga the beat down of a lifetime.

However, before Hyuga was beaten within an inch of his life, a familiar voice was heard, "Nijimura!"

Hyuga looked up from his place on the ground, 'Izuki! You've come to save me!'

Nijimura immediately let go of Hyuga and his angry face was replaced by an "I'm innocent" face.

"Ah, Izuki!" the teen said, getting off of Hyuga and walking over to Izuki and Kiyoshi. Hyuga just laid there, confused about what was going on.

A few minutes later…

Izuki coughed into his hand, "So…allow me to formally introduce you."

Pointing to Kiyoshi, "Nijimura, this is Kiyoshi Teppei, one of my classmates and the one who wants to start a basketball club at school."

"Nice to meet you Kiyoshi-san," Nijimura said bowing slightly, "My name is Nijimura Shuzo."

"Ah," Kiyoshi said, taken aback by the good manners and charm of Nijimura, "Nice to meet you too."

'Thank you for introducing us Izuki!' Kiyoshi thought, 'I think I have found the love of my life! Good looks, a kind and warm personality, and a love for basketball! What can be better than that!'

Hyuga stared at Kiyoshi and Nijimura in disbelief. He could literally see the sparkles and tiny flowers the two were giving off.

'What a complete 180,' Hyuga thought.

"Oh," Izuki said, interrupting the moment, "And it doesn't matter but, this is Friend A."

Nijimura bowed slightly toward Hyuga, "Sorry for being rude earlier."

And then his face came closer and it was black with rage, "If you say anything uncalled for, I'll kill you child stalker."

Hyuga nervously sweat dropped at Nijimura, 'A face straight from hell.'

Nijimura and Kiyoshi go back to talking happily between themselves. Izuki then nudges Hyuga in the side.

"Just a minute, Junpei."

"Huh?"

"I heard you screaming earlier. Their flirting isn't making you uncomfortable?"

"I already said it was a miraculous coincidence!"

"What are you angry? But too bad."

The two turn to look at how well Kiyoshi and Nijimura have gotten along.

"Nijimura likes Kiyoshi."

Izuki then adopted a matter of fact position, "Today, you were given a supporting role, a foil Friend A. So give it up."

Hyuga was outraged and embarrassed, "Who would want such a crazy man!"

Suddenly, Nijimura looked at his watch, "Ah! I'm gonna be late! I need to go!"

"Go where?" Kiyoshi asked.

Izuki pointed down the street toward the street basketball courts, "There!"

Hyuga hesitated. 'A basketball court? But…'

Nijimura said, "I promised some guys that I would play street ball with them. You can come watch if you like."

Kiyoshi smiled, "Let's go then guys!"

"Yeah," Izuki said, "Hyuga, you should come too."

Hyuga hesitated and said, "No…I…"

He was then interrupted by a hand grabbing his wrist. Hyuga looked up at Nijimura who had a serious expression on.

"Let's go." Nijimura simply said before dragging Hyuga along toward the courts.

**In the spring of my 14****th**** year…I…started to run on my own legs.**

* * *

Me: And scene people! Thanks for your hard work today!

Friend: Uhh….dude? We're not filming a scene.

Me: So? Why can't a written scene be like a film scene. It's not like I need a camera.

Friend: Yeah but your words imply that we were filming instead of writing.

Me: Ummm. You mean I was writing. You and Other Friend were off doing who knows what while I was trying to write this chapter. And I thought you said you wanted me to wake you up in a week.

Friend: Wait, so it hasn't been a week yet?

Me: Nope.

Friend: GAH! Curses Other Friend. Why did you wake me up?

Other Friend: Cause it's funny.

Friend: Argh whatever. Just review and don't flame the audience already jerk.

Other Friend: Someone needs some anger management classes.

Friend: Shut up jerk.

Me: Anyways….Other Friend.

Other Friend: Of course. Please review and don't flame. Thank you.


	3. Ch2: A Basketball Player's Love

Me: Hey hey hey! I'm BACK!

Friend: Huh? Oh, you really are back.

Me: What kind of response is that?!

Friend: What? Oh I just thought you were gonna wait another three months before updating anything again.

Me: Hmph! Well I haven't done that because I'm turning over a new leaf!

Friend: You mean that one chapter a week promise?

Me: Yep!

Friend: Well, good luck with that. It's already been two. *leaves to go eat*

Me: Hey! Come back here you jerkface! I'll just extend it to be one chapter per two weeks then!

Other Friend: Uhh….Me?

Me: Go on without me Other Friend, I got a Friend to beat up. *leaves to go look for Friend*

Other Friend: O…K…then? Anyways, eternalfire123 does not own anything except the idea of making this fic. Please read, review, and don't flame.

* * *

Chapter 2: A Basketball Player's Love

"What time does the match start?" Teppei asked as the group of 4 ran toward the basketball courts.

"At 3:30, the courts open up to the players and the audience at 3," Nijimura answered, still running with a calm face.

"What!" Izuki shouted, "It's already 3:20!"

Nijimura responds with a smile, "That's alright. The team I'm playing with doesn't go until the second match."

"Ehhh!" Izuki shouted again, "Second? That's still pretty early!"

"Less talking, more running!" Hyuga shouts.

After a few more minutes of running, the group managed to reach the basketball courts.

"We made it!" Teppei shouts in happiness.

The group pauses for a few minutes to catch their breath.

Izuki looks around the courts full of players and audience members, feeling a little tense he says, "The tension you feel before each match is everywhere, street basketball or not. I'm starting to get a little nervous."

"You're not even playing, Izuki," Hyuga says, annoyed at having been successfully dragged to a basketball court.

"Well, I have to go this way," Nijimura said, pointing to a group of people that had both boys and girls of all ages ranging from elementary school to high school.

Hyuga was shocked at the members of the team. Even though street basketball was more lenient on the rules than professional, it was still surprising to see girls and elementary kids on a basketball team with the older guys. What was more surprising was the fact that the team seemed to genuinely get along with each other regardless of age and gender.

"C'mon Hyuga," Teppei said, "We need to go this way."

Hyuga was broken out of his thoughts as he saw Izuki and Teppei standing near the entrance of the observer's area.

"Y-yeah," Junpei said as his hand slightly shook with nervousness.

_A flash of the bottom have a person's face wearing a sneer saying, "You are to weak to even think about playing basketball."_

Izuki noticed Junpei's hand shaking and frowns slightly.

The trio walk toward the crowd that has already gathered to view the upcoming games. As the three walked on, whispers could be heard as the crowd who recognized the basketball players, especially Teppei, whispered behind their backs.

"Hey, isn't that the Iron Heart? One of the Uncrowned Kings?"

"Yeah it is!"

"Who are those two?"

"Oh! I recognize them from that one close match with the Generation of Miracles!"

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. The one with the glasses is a clutch shooter and the other guy aparently has the Eagle Eye."

"They must be pretty good to be able to have a close match with the GOM."

"Yeah they are, but I heard that the glasses guy can't play anymore."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Apparently he can't even hold a basketball anymore."

"Seriously? That must be rough."

Junpei narrowed his eyes and began to walk farther away from the gossiping crowd.

He then turned to Izuki and said with an accusing glare, "You! You knew and yet you kept it to yourself! You said we would only be meeting him!"

Izuki gives Junpei a sympathetic smile, "Because, if you knew….you wouldn't have come Junpei. That's why Teppei and I hid it from you."

Junpei only continues to give Izuki an accusatory glare.

Izuki's smile becomes sad, "Does basketball really only give you nothing but bad feelings?"

Suddenly, the crowd began to go quiet.

"The street ball competition will now begin."

Two teams walked onto the court, both filled with a mismatch of people though the theme was common.

One team full of male teenagers facing off against a team of female teenagers. The differences were obvious, but the match up seemed rather interesting.

As the match began, Junpei watched with nostalgic eyes.

'It's been awhile since I've seen a basketball match,' Junpei thought before a small frown crossed his face, 'I wonder why…I feel so restless.'

"They keep doing the same old tricks," Izuki said, complaining about the lack of playing going on during the first match.

'You're the one who brought me here,' Junpei thought while sweatdropping.

"But I'm surprised," Izuki said with a small grin, turning his head to Junpei, "But there are quite a few people here for such a small competition."

"Well this is a newly established street ball competition purely made to allow everyone who wants to play to play to their hearts content," Junpei said, "I heard that the top 3 team gets to play against more professional basketball teams and try to make it to the international stage."

'Hmm? International stage?' Izuki thought, 'There's a short cut for that?'

Just then one of the girls on the all female team made a mistake that allowed the male team to get in the lead.

'Ah!' Junpei thought, 'She made a mistake.'

The girl's teammates tried hard to compensate for her mistake but it was obvious that they were falling severely behind.

"They kind of suck," Izuki whispered to Junpei.

However his words fell on deaf ears as Junpei closely watched the match, his hands twitching and moving slightly to pantomime dribbles and passes.

**Do you best…You can do it…**

Izuki caught sight of Junpei's hands and gave a little smile. All hope was not lost for his friend yet.

In the end, the girls' team lost to the male's team by 20 points. The audience applauded politely for the teams as they shook hands with each other. If one were to look around, one would see that many were beginning to fall asleep as there was nothing interesting about the match that just occurred. If things continued to carry on like this, many of the audience members would leave.

"Ah! Next up is Nijimura," Izuki said.

Izuki then turned to Teppei who was arms were crossed across his chest as he continued to lightly snore, completely dead to the world.

"Wake up, Teppei!"

Teppei woke up just in time to see Nijimura and his misfit team walk onto the courts with another team full of bored, arrogant yet tough looking teens.

Nijimura turned to look at the audience, 'I wonder if my plays will reach them.'

He then turned his attention to his team, "Don't forget to have fun out there alright?"

"Yeah!" everyone on his team shouted with happy and eager faces.

Nijimura smiled and turned to face the opposing team. Taking a deep breath, he quietly chanted, "**Elohim, Essaim, Elohim, Essaim, We request and appeal…**"

The match started and everybody's breathes were drawn away with the first movement from Nijimura's team.

Everyone on his team was running around, passing, dribbling, and trying to score like any other team. However, unlike the all teams who playing competitive basketball, everyone had their own style.

No one on the team played in a uniform way or used any movements that conformed to what basketball was known the general population. As the audience continued to watch the plays being made, they couldn't help but be drawn in. Even the opposing team was drawn into the vortex that was Nijimura's team.

Junpei stared at Nijimura in shock.

**This is still basketball but…this doesn't belong to any known player in the world.**

Nijimura is passing the ball to a young girl by throwing it between his opponent's legs.

**Now without a doubt, it belongs to him. This basketball is…all his.**

His plays begin to become more erratic, his teammates struggling to catch up and the opposing team continuing to struggle to score.

**He's extremely violent…and his has a bad personality…he gave the worst first impression.**

**But…**

The game ends with a three pointer from Nijimura. His team cheers with excitement while the opposing team groans in defeat.

Nijimura is covered in sweat as he smiles brilliantly at the few young children in his team, giving them high fives as they continue to celebrate.

**He's beautiful.**

With the game over, the audience stood up and cheered like they never had before. This spectacle, this play, this brilliant performance that had just been put on before them allowed them to view basketball in a whole new brilliant light.

Even the opposing team was smiling at their defeat. They no longer had arrogance in their face and high fived the young children and congratulated them for a job well done.

"Awesome!" Izuki said, "That was the best basketball match I have ever seen! I wonder if Nijimura's will win the tournament!"

Junpei shook his head, "That's impossible."

"Huh?" Izuki asked.

"All the play were drawn out and erratic," Junepi responded, "Add to the fact that most of Nijimura's team consists of elementary and middle schoolers, there is no way they will get far."

"Hah," Izuki sighed, "I guess it can't be helped…even though everyone liked it, including the opponents."

"If this were a practice match, it would be okay," Junepi said.

'But I'm sure, that he probably wasn't aiming to win in the first place,' Junpei thought, then his eyes took on a depressing look, 'I wonder how he can be so happy when he's playing?'

After the tournament, an well-known street basketball team won and Nijimura's team unfortunately did not reach the top four…not that it seemed like they cared. Many of the audience members were talking about the matches and players they had just seen.

"That grey eyed teen was awesome right?"

"You mean Nijimura Shuzou? I've memorized his name!"

"I've turned into a fan of his!"

"How has he not been known this entire time? I feel like he deserves a title like the Uncrowned Kings."

"I know right?"

"Wow," Izuki looked around in wonder, "Everyone's talking about Nijimura. He really is awesome isn't he?"

"It felt like I was at the Nationals," Teppei said, "It was the only match I stayed awake for."

"Hey that's rude," Izuki said.

Junpei caught sight of Nijimura who was being handed a small bundle of flowers by two young girls.

"We were touched by your match," one of the girls said.

"Flowers for you," the other girl said.

"Thank you," Nijimura responded, accepting the flowers with a smile.

"Ahh! Nijimura-san," one of the officials said, running up to Nijimura, "The results will be posted in 10 minutes."

"It's ok," Nijimura said, beginning to walk away, "I don't care about things like that."

That statement struck Junpei harder than lightning.

The bottom half of a sneering teen's face, 'Being anything other than the best is meaningless. That's the kind of world we live in.'

Nijimura turned his head and noticed the trio standing a ways off.

"Nijimura!" Izuki and Teppei shouted while waving their hands.

Nijimura waved toward the group and began to walk toward them.

Izuki's voice echos in Junpei's mind, 'Nijimura likes Kiyoshi. Today, you are a supporting character. Your role is Friend A.'

'I know that,' Junpei thought.

**After the match, the basketball player…he will come running to be with the person waiting for him. **

**Weaving through the crowds, carrying a bouquet of flowers, ignoring the side character…**

**Just like a scene in a movie.**

"Hey," Teppei said, "You were really awesome out there."

"Thanks," Nijimura said with a smile.

Nijimura then turns his head toward Junpei and moved toward him.

"Well, what do you think?" Nijimura aksed.

'Me?' Junpei thought.

Nijimura repeated the question, "What…did you think? I was amazing right?"

"Eh…umm…" Junpei said, caught off guard.

"It was okay," Junpei began before catching sight of Nijimura's shaking hand.

He pauses briefly before starting again, "…It was my first time, seeing someone receive flowers right after the matches. And you didn't know them right? They couldn't have possibly prepared those beforehand. For you, those girls, after watching your performance, they rushed and bought those flowers to give to you. Today…is a day they'll never forget. Perhaps, it was that kind of basketball…" Junpei finished with a small smile.

A smile gradually appears on Nijimura's face, "Ah, I see!"

He then turns to talk to Teppei again and Junpei is left alone in the background.

**Just like a scene from a movie.**

**My–my…role might be Best Friend A, but…**

"We shall now announce those who have qualified to move on to the next round of the streetball tournaments."

Many people were crowding around the paper, hoping against hope that they managed to qualify despite not being in the top three.

A closeup of the paper shows the name of the top three teams that day and an extra category called Audience Recommendation.

The name of the team that was written next to it was Nijimura's team.

* * *

Me: OMG I AM FINALLY DONE. MY EYEBALLS FUCKING HURT!

Friend: Congratulations. You barely made the two week mark you set for yourself at the beginning of the chapter.

Me: Shut up! You know who lazy I get sometimes.

Friend: Yes I know. You even have a shirt that says, "To Lazy, Can't Move"

Me: But I seriously can't!

Friend: Whatever. Just remember to update on time without barely making the deadline like so many writers and mangakas….especially mangakas.

Me: But the famous ones are always late.

Friend: Just type!

Me: Geez…fine. No need to get your panties in a twist. Anywho, Other Friend?

Other Friend: Of course. Please review and don't flame. Thank you for reading.


End file.
